Graafse

Graafse is a Dutch term used as an adjective and a demonym meaning “of the Graafschap” or “from the Graafschap.” The Graafschap, or County of Guelders, was a medieval territory in the Low Countries that largely covered parts of what are now Gelderland and Overijssel. Today, Graafse survives primarily in historical references and in place names that reflect a link to that former region.

In contemporary usage, Graafse appears in toponyms and local identifiers in the Netherlands, especially in Gelderland and around Nijmegen and Doetinchem. Examples include Graafsewijk, a residential district of Nijmegen, and Graafseweg, a major road in Nijmegen. The term can also function as a demonym for people with historical ties to the Graafschap, though it is not commonly used as a broad descriptor for all residents of Gelderland.

Culturally and institutionally, the historic reference endures in names and branding tied to the region. The football club De Graafschap, based in Doetinchem, derives its name from the Graafschap and reflects a regional identity associated with Gelderland. Overall, Graafse remains a historically rooted marker used in geography, local identity, and cultural references rather than an administrative designation today.